Most U.S. voters have taken notice of the recent spike in gasoline prices and they believe gas is likely to top the $5 mark by the beginning of summer.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds that 58% of voters nationwide say it is at least Somewhat Likely that the price of gas will rise above $5 a gallon before July 1. Thirty-five percent (35%) disagree and say it’s not likely. These findings include 21% who say it’s Very Likely that the price of gas will top $5 a gallon and seven percent (7%) who believe it’s Not at all Likely. (To see survey question, wording click here.)

An overwhelming majority (82%) believe that the price of gas has already gone up “a lot” in recent weeks while just 16% say gas prices have gone up “a little.” Fewer than half a percent believe gas prices have gone down in recent weeks and only one percent (1%) says prices have stayed about the same.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.427, according to a daily survey from motorist group AAA. Gas Prices have not averaged more than $3.40 a gallon since October 2008.

Over the last several years, rising gasoline prices have frequently led to declines in consumer confidence as measured by the Rasmussen Consumer Index.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 28-March 1, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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